Travel Bulletin 2nd September 2016

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September 2 2016 | ISSUE NO 1,980 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

MS Thomas Hardy Full Balcony Suite

MS Charles Dickens Cabin

MS Lord Byron Restaurant

MS William Shakespeare Stern Lounge

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Five-star MS Thomas Hardy Suite

WHY CHOOSE RIVIERA TRAVEL? 8 days from £1,099pp or 15 days from £1,499pp Riviera travel are pleased to announce the release of our brand new five-star all-suite ships for 2017, the MS Thomas Hardy, the MS Emily Brontë and the MS Oscar Wilde, operating alongside our other luxurious and elegant selection of five-star vessels including the MS Lord Byron, MS William Shakespeare, MS Jane Austen and MS Charles Dickens, boasting superb cuisine and the most comfortable surroundings possible.

Five-star MS Jane Austen

• Eleven carefully crafted River Cruise itineraries • Which? Recommended Provider for four consecutive years • Everything you need is included in the price

Superb on board bathrooms

• No hidden costs or surcharges and we never discount • Flights from a selection of regional UK airports and Eurostar options also available on selected cruises • The highest repeat booking ratio in the industry • The industry’s finest tour managers • More customers would book again and recommend us to a friend than any of our competitiors Fine dining with full board throughout

To discuss how we can support you...

Call: 01283 744370 or visit: rivieratravel.co.uk/agents Subscribe to our agents newsletter! Email: agencysales@rivieratravel.co.uk ABTA No. V4744

Full Riviera Travel booking conditions apply. Source - PwC Independent Research.

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September 2 2016 | ISSUE NO 1,980 | www.travelbulletin.co.uk

Theme Parks & Attractions

The new openings and adrenaline fuelled rides sure to thrill clients

this week agent bulletin 9

take advantage of these exciting new booking incentives

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london life what’s happening in the capital this month

south america hot new tours added by operators

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scandinavia Aarhus becomes Capital of Culture for 2017

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Welcome to the Party!

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CONTACT YOUR PREFERRED TOUR OPERATOR FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK. BECOME A MASTER AGENT TODAY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INCREDIBLE INDUSTRY RATES, INCENTIVES AND MORE AT AMRAGENTS.CO.UK

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newsbulletin

Picnic Party Dubai Tourism and Dukes Dubai held a picnic event for agents and operators, with presentations from both, along with product updates, a picnic with butler service at Green Park and a selection of prizes. Agents from Emirates Holidays, LetsGo2, The Holiday Place, Trailfinders, Travelbag and Turquoise Holidays attended, hosted by Catherine Lamri and Sangita Makwana of Dubai Tourism, Laetitia Pardo from Dukes Dubai and Amy Stonadge from Dukes Collection.

Cover Pictures: Main - Shahril KHMD Inset - Journey Latin America

Roller coasters & rooms from outer space: what kids want from their holiday NEW RESEARCH from Jet2holidays has found that what kids really want on holiday is a space-themed hotel in Spain, complete with roller coasters, a water slide, and unlimited sweets and ice cream.

Partnering with Atomik, the operator surveyed 1,000 children between the ages of seven and 13 to find out more about their dream holiday.

The top five places in Europe, outside of the UK, that kids wanted to visit were Spain (25%), Italy (13%), France (11%), Greece (8%) and Portugal (6%).

The survey also revealed that, for 60% of children, the summer holiday was their favourite time of the year, making the annual trip three times more popular than Christmas and 12 times more popular than Easter.

A fifth (20%) of the kids surveyed said that their ideal

hotel would have a space theme, followed closely by an under the sea (19%) or a princess theme (17%), while 14% of children wanted their dream hotel to have a zombie or scary theme.

As well as theme park rides (49%) and edible treats (52%), kids said their dream hotel would have a beach (45%), zoo animals (27%) and a trampoline (21%). Other desirable features included arcade games, a recliner armchair, and skeletons.

Nearly two-thirds (62%) of children said their favourite thing about going on holiday was having the chance to explore and go on adventures.

Other requests from the children surveyed included having a disco-themed hotel, spending their time climbing trees and having zombies in their hotel.

This week

03 09 11

news a round-up of what’s new in the industry

agent bulletin new agent training opportunities plus booking incentives

puzzle bulletin play Su Doku for your chance to win a £50 M&S voucher

www.travelbulletin.co.uk

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bulletin briefing news & views from Advantage

cruise bulletin a round-up of what’s new in river & ocean cruising

london life discover what’s new in the capital this month

19 23 27

south america hot new tours and bucket list experiences added by operators

scandinavia ‘rethink’ Denmark as Aarhus becomes the Capital of Culture for 2017

themes parks & attractions thrills & chills: Halloween offerings and new theme park openings

September 2 2016

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Dubai Tourism takes over Waterloo station with ‘Here Today, Dubai Tomorrow’ DUBAI TOURISM will be launching a new experiential marketing campaign from this week, designed to give British holidaymakers a ‘live’ taste of what they could enjoy on a trip to Dubai.

The campaign, ‘Here Today, Dubai Tomorrow’, will see London’s Waterloo Station transformed into an interactive recreation of Dubai’s top experiences during September 4 – 11. Cutting-edge technology will let people experience the sights, sounds and attractions of the city on the station’s concourse, with daily prize trips to the destination up for grabs on-site throughout the campaign period, and a grand prize available via dubaitomorrow.com The campaign represents Dubai Tourism’s largest ever experiential marketing activation in the UK and underlines the organisation’s strong focus on the UK travel market as the city becomes increasingly popular with British holidaymakers.

Issam Kazim, CEO for Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “This is an opportunity to bring a part of Dubai to London and the UK, allowing people to engage with the destination in new and innovative ways. Dubai has a rich history of welcoming travellers from the UK, and we want to continue building on that. With an ever evolving destination proposition, there is more and more for UK travellers to experience, whether first timers or regulars, which we hope to bring alive in this latest campaign.”

DoSomethingDifferent.com launches new range of Hudson River cruises A NUMBER OF cruises in New York are now available to pre-book through DoSomethingDifferent.com All offering views of the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge, the new additions include Fish Bar, from £69 to £116 per adult, which offers a two-hour cruise with a three-course Mediterranean style meal. It departs daily (except Monday) at 18:30 and drinks packages are available with four options.

A Hornblower Premier Brunch Cruise is available from £66 per adult and £36 per child and offers a twohour cruise with buffet brunch, unlimited mimosas and a live jazz band. It operates on weekends only, departing at 12:30. A Hornblower Manhattan Dinner Cruise is also new and costs from £113 per adult and £81 per child.

It includes a three-hour evening cruise including a three-course meal, live DJ and after-dinner dancing, and sails from Thursday to Saturday throughout the summer, departing at 19:00 Alternatively, an Alive After Five Cruise costs between £21 and £82 per adult and offers a two-hour early evening cruise with a live DJ and speciality cocktails. It sails from Thursday – Sunday during summer, departing at 18:00 and four packages are available.

The final new addition is Rock The Yacht, from £21 to £82 per adult, offering a three-hour party cruise with a live DJ and a nightclub atmosphere.

For more information visit dosomethingdifferent.com or call 020-8090 3890.

New Italian option from Eating Italy

BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT recently launched two newly designed and interactive children’s pre-flight play areas giving thousands of youngsters jetting off on holiday a fun and engaging experience in the terminal. The ‘Sky Zone’ airport play zones are designed for three- to ten-year olds, and feature Sky Cadet ‘Zoom’, the Airport’s mascot. They are free to use and are located at Gates 3 and 54, serving both departure lounges in the terminal.

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FOLLOWING THE success of its Taste of Testaccio and Twilight Trastevere tours in Rome, Eating Italy will launch a new evening tour called the Testaccio Supper Stroll, set to commence on September 19.

Managing director of Eating Europe Tours, the parent company of Eating Italy, Kenny Dunn, said: “Testaccio is where it all began five years ago. I started the company by taking friends and family to my favorite culinary places in the same neighborhood where I still live, and despite now operating in four countries and five cities, launching an evening tour here in Testaccio is especially close to my heart.”

The new tour will carry guests away from the tourist crowds to try real Roman food like oxtail, a typical Italian aperitivo, cheeses, cured meats and gelato. Ideal for the adventurous foodie, other highlights include discovering Italy’s craft beer scene and finding out about the Roman’s favorite stuffed pizza-dough snack.

The adult-only tours run from Monday to Saturday 17:30 to 20:30 and cost 79 euros.

To book or for more information see eatingitalyfoodtours.com

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Avalon Waterways targets younger market with active Danube discovery AVALON WATERWAYS has launched its 2017 brochure with a new type of European river cruise featuring active excursions and local authentic experiences to appeal to a new and potentially younger market.

From Linz to Budapest, the new nine-day ‘Active Discovery on the Danube’ cruise has been planned so that the local experiences on offer are based on culture, cuisine and outdoor pursuits with active guests able to join guided mountain climbing, hikes through the landscape, canoeing or cycling alongside the river. Guests will also have the opportunity to conduct an orchestra, learn the Viennese waltz, explore an ice cave and can even visit a local farm to help with the apricot harvest.

Culinary experiences include a lesson to make authentic Austrian Linzer Torte, a brewery tour to taste locally produced cheeses and beer brewed by Trappist monks, or a hike through vineyards and wine tasting at a traditional Austrian wine tavern.

David Binns, head of product for the cruise line, said: “We are really looking forward to being able to offer our customers such a thrilling and fun choice of activities. They will be able to fully immerse themselves in local life and be as active as they wish as they sail through the stunning landscapes of Austria, Bratislava and Hungary.

“Our sales team will be working hard to offer agents advice and training about selling this new type of river cruise and we will organise fam trips so our key agents can experience Active Discovery cruises for themselves.”

The cruise is priced from £2,483 per person based on an October 16, 2017 departure. Cruise highlights include Linz, Grein, Durnstein, Krems, Vienna, Bratislava, Visegard and Budapest.

Also newly featured in the 2017 brochure are cruises on the Irrawaddy, Mekong, Yangtze and Amazon rivers.

Customers booking a river cruise before September 30 can benefit from a free upgrade offer worth up to

£1,100 per person to one of the line’s balcony staterooms for the price of a Deluxe Stateroom and applies to ships in the European fleet.

For more information visit avaloncruises.co.uk or call 0800 668 1801.

Daios D i Co C ve Luxxury Resort & Villas Relax in a wide choice of accommodations including the t new Premium Suites and Daios Cove Mansion.

Enjoy the heated, season round infinity edge swimming pool a great choice for families and couples alike.

For more information on how to book email: Scott.langridge@daioshotels.com

www.daioscovecrete.com

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Debut ice-cream van launch from Warner Leisure Hotels WARNER LEISURE Hotels has launched ‘The Ice Cream Bar’, dubbed as a ‘bar on wheels’, which is travelling around the country this summer serving cool treats including ‘IcePA’, ‘Jäger Bombes' and Bacon & Bourbon chasers exclusively for adults.

The hotel group has also sent a doorman with the van to make sure customers are old enough to be served a beer-infused Mr. Whippy in a pork scratching cone or an ice-cream Jäger Bombe.

The Ice Cream Bar was devised after new research from the company found that the over 50s are still very much young at heart. Respondents’ top three favourite childhood holiday memories were being at the seaside (75%), having ice-cream (53%) and going to fun fairs (43%). The ice cream menu was inspired further by the research, which saw that men over 45 would choose beer as their top tipple (33%) resulting in the IcePA, and women would go for a cocktail (15%), which helped the hotel to create the Tequila Sorbet and Vodka Martini make the cut.

Bourne Leisure’s sales and marketing manager, Erman Housein, said: “Our guests may be predominately over 50, but they have proven that they love a bit of mischievous fun. After the huge success of Anti-aGin (the first ever anti-ageing gin which we launched in April) and the increasingly popular activities we offer our guests such as Zorbing, The Ice Cream Bar is perfect to keep the fun going for summer.

“The van has already visited several of our hotels with guests queuing up to try the adult-friendly flavours and we can’t wait to visit the rest of the hotels to give our guests a gloriously grown up summer.”

Norwegian unveils new partnership with BLOC Hotel Gatwick NORWEGIAN HAS partnered with BLOC Hotel Gatwick to allow the airline’s loyalty scheme members to save costs on flights when staying at the property.

Norwegian Reward, the award-winning loyalty programme, is now giving members 12% CashPoints when booking any room at BLOC Gatwick. Points can be used to pay for items such as checked baggage, seat reservations and flights including taxes, which reduces the cost of travel.

The hotel is conveniently located next to the departure lounge at Gatwick's South Terminal and, to celebrate the new partnership, the hotel and airline are running a competition to win a VIP trip for two to Boston.

Winners will receive a pair of return tickets in Norwegian’s Premium Cabin, a pre-flight stay in BLOC Gatwick’s Runway Suite, a three-night stay at a leading hotel, $1,000 spending money and 2,000

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CashPoints, which is the equivalent of two return flights from London to Madrid.

For details see blochotels.com/boston

Bourne Leisure’s sales executive, Gemma Wilks (right), with Julie Chambers from Co-Operative Travel in Tewkesbury sample Warner Leisure Hotels' ice-cream van at Holme Lacy House.

Free night for anniversary couples from Sandals Resorts SANDALS RESORTS is now giving couples more reason to book a Caribbean holiday for their anniversary celebration.

The Luxury Included (all-inclusive) resort company has introduced a new offer, providing those celebrating their wedding anniversary with a free night’s stay at the Sandals or Beaches resort of their choice.

To redeem the free night, guests need to visit sandals.co.uk/specials/fr ee-anniversary-night/ and upload their marriage certificate within 14 days of booking.

The offer is available for travel until December 26, 2018 and terms and conditions apply.

For more information visit sellingsandals.co.uk or call 020-7590 0232.

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Neilson Greek Beachclubs now on sale NEILSON HAS put its summer 2017 Greece programme of Beachclub and sailing holidays on sale.

Agents booking 2017 holidays to Greece before October 31 will be able to entice customers with a selection of early booking offers including up to £50 off per person, per week for Beachclub and Sailing holidays; 20% off their end-ofholiday bill on Beachclub holidays; and free learn to sail courses for those booking 'Stay and Sail' holidays.

The company is also offering 25 euros in credit per person to spend on breakfast or dinner at a Beachclub at the start or end of a Skippered Flotilla, Flotilla or Stay and Sail holiday.

As an example of prices, Cosmos Beachclub in Vassiliki, Greece costs from £539 per person for seven nights and £665 for 14 nights. Departing on May 7, 2017, the price includes flights from Manchester, transfers, seven or 14 nights at the Cosmos Beachclub on a bed-and-breakfast basis, activities with tuition and children's clubs (aged two-17).

For further information see agents.neilson.co.uk

CENTARA RAS FUSHI MALDIVES EARLLY BOOKING OFFER: Book 60 days prior to arrival and recieve 10% Discount ount Valid for stays y between 01 Sept – 24 Dec 16 and 17 Apr – 24 Dec 17 7 RATES NOW A AV VAILABLE UP TO APRIL 2018 PLUS EXCLUSIVE HONEYMOON BENEFITS

COCO BODU HITHI MALDIVES

Explore Haven’s sand dunes with Dune Detectives app WITH THE help of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Haven has made exploring the largest sand dune system in Cornwall easier with its free ‘Dune Detectives’ app.

Families can now discover this picturesque part of the Great British coast which is renowned for its miles of sandy beaches and home to the scenic shots seen on BBC TV’s Poldark.

The sand dune system, located on the doorstep of the company's Perran Sands Holiday Park, is home to the largest dunes in Cornwall covering around 650 hectares.

They are also home to an array of wildlife including skylarks, razorbills, garden tiger moths and the quirkily named scrambled egg lichen.

The seaside stylised app utilises the phone's GPS so any visitor can keep a track on exactly where they are at any time on an interactive map. The app also provides visitors with engaging games to play and facts at certain points throughout a user's journey.

A four-night break at Perran Sands costs from £229 for the whole family, based on a family of up to four sharing a standard two-bedroom caravan departing on September 12.

EARLLY BOOKING OFFER: Book 60 days prior to arrival and receive 10% Discount unt on room rates PLUS FREE NIGHTS : STAY 7 P PA AY 6 Valid for stays between 01 Nov – 26 Dec 16 PEAK SEASON OFFER – Discounted New Year Gala a Dinner PLUS 1 Child under 12 yrs stays free Valid for stays between 27 Dec16 - 7 Jan 17

AY YA ADA MALDIVES EARLLY BOOKING OFFER Book 90 days prior to arrival and receive 10% Discount on room oom rates PLUS EX XCL CLUSIVE HONEYMOON BENEFITS AND KIDS STAY & EA AT T FOR FREE Valid for stays from 01 Sept 16 – 20 Dec 17

OUTRIGGER KO ONAT TTA MALDIVES BOOK B BY Y 30 SEPT 16 AND RECEIVE: 40% Discount on Room Rate Discounted Meal Plans PLUS Kids below 12 stay and eat for FREE Valid l d for f stays between b 01 Nov N 16 – 30 Apr 17

SRI LANKA - MAURITIUS - SEYCHELLES - INDIA IA - UAE Over 230 hotels and a selection of tours available on our website Including exclusive offers for Summer 2016 and Winter er 2016/17

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www.osborneandebe el.com All above offers are subject to availability.

TTer erms & Conditions nditions Apply

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Kenya bounces back onto Winter Sun hot list for Acacia Africa ACCORDING TO Acacia Africa, Kenya has bounced back onto its 2016/17 winter sun hot list with bookings for the coming season already up by 10% based on last year’s figures.

The tour operator cited the country’s excellent game reserves and national parks, engaging cultural experiences and cosmopolitan capital filled with restaurants and buzzing nightlife as the main reasons for its continuing popularity. Arno Delport, sales and marketing manager for the operator, commented: “There no doubting Kenya has suffered setbacks, but as we saw back in 2008 when we released our ‘Crazy About Kenya’ campaign the country always gets back on track and this year's forward bookings tell much the same story.”

The operator covers Kenya on its camping and accommodated overland tours and small group safaris. As an example, the four-day ‘Masai Mara & Lake Nakuru Discovery’ small group safari is priced from £565 per person based on two sharing with Safari Pass from £360 per person including transport, accommodation in twin share permanent tents with en-suite facilities, beds and bedding for two nights, and tourist class hotel with en-suite facilities for one night. The price excludes flights. Call 020-7706 4700 or visit acacia-africa.com for more information.

Big on adventure with HF Holidays’ Canadian destinations in 2017 HF HOLIDAYS is showcasing a selection of 2017 packages that have been introduced in conjunction with the nationwide celebration of Canada's 150th anniversary as a nation, and include trips to Ontario, Western Canada, the Canadian Rockies and Nova Scotia.

The operator's Journey to Ontario tour begins in Toronto, before heading into the scenic Prince Edward County for walks overlooking Lake Ontario. Here, guests can enjoy a wine tasting session before travelling to Ottawa, the nation's capital, featuring walks along the Rideau Canal.

This will be followed by a trip to the real wilderness and Algonquin Park,

where guests can walk along the Bruce Trail overlooking Georgian Bay. Finally, no visit to Ontario would be complete without seeing Niagara Falls. Prices start at £3,165 per person for 12 nights.

Alternatively, on a new Western Canada holiday, visitors can explore cosmopolitan Vancouver and enjoy a hike up the mountains with views overlooking the city. Taking the ferry to Vancouver Island, guests spend time at Courtenay and Tofino with the chance to spot black bears and experience the dramatic coastal paths of the Wild Pacific Trail. Prices start from £3,209 for 12 nights.

Also available on next year's agenda is an itinerary for mountain lovers which visits the Canadian Rockies and explores Banff and Jasper National Parks, as well as Lake Louise. It also provides various walk options that will leave visitors with plenty of time to go off-thebeaten-track in Kananaskis. Prices start at £3,649 for 14 nights.

Beyond that, guests can enjoy a journey of discovery in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with prices starting from £2,985 for 13 nights.

For further information or to book see hfholidays.co.uk or call 0203424 6162.

NEWS BITES ● ECONOMY CAR Hire has rebranded to Zest Car Rental and, to celebrate, the company is giving away one million pounds worth of free car travel to its customers.100,000 existing customers will receive a Zest gift and £10 voucher towards their next booking which can be redeemed within the next six months. For details see zestcarrental.com ● AN INSPIRATIONAL travel wishlist has been compiled by an online travel community (#Travchat on Twitter) following votes from travellers for seven bespoke ‘Wonders’ of the world. The list highlights destinations that still remain and can be visited by today’s travellers and includes places such as Victoria Falls, Burj Khalifa, the Grand Canyon and Leshan Giant Buddha. Details at thirtysummers.com/travchat ● HILTON GARDEN INN, Hilton Worldwide’s mid-scale global brand of hotels, has announced the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Brussels Louise. The 143-room property is located in the heart of the city, in the art deco quarter of Brussels close to the European Parliament.

LYNN'S LUCK...TIPTO member AmaWaterways' agent incentive winner, Lynn Boardman from Kyle Travel in Yarm, claims one of the prizes from the company's 12-month agent incentive.

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● BOOKING.COM HAS added its one-millionth property to its website - the soon-to-open Greydon House, tucked away in the historic district of the picturesque island of Nantucket, just 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

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Booking incentives ●

Serenity Holidays has issued an agent booking incentive across its six specialist travel brands, giving agents the chance win a fridge full of Christmas goodies in return for package bookings made by November 30. Brands include The Gambia, Cape Verde and Goa Experience as well as Corsican, Sardinian and Sicilian Places. Two agents will be selected at random from bookings the company receive. For more information call 01489-866955.

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Agents have weekly chances of winning a range of prizes as part of the latest Hoseasons trade campaign including Virgin experiences, a Fortnum and Mason hamper and a personal shopping experience. For a chance to win, agents should register every booking they confirm up to September 25. There will also be one grand prize winner randomly selected on September 27 from all reference numbers entered, with the winner choosing three prizes from a selection or a £300 holiday voucher.

Agents should email booking references along with their name, agency name and ABTA number to agency.sales@hoseasons.co.uk by September 25.

CELEBRITY POINTS...Since ear lier this year, agents selling Celebrity Cruises have bee n competing to become the top selling agent in the ir sector and earn Celebrity Rewards points. The top 100 performing agents each won £250 worth of bonus Celebrity Rewards points, plus a trophy, flow ers, a luxury hamper and more as part of the ‘Your Cele brity Moment’.

Pictured is one of the winners, Clai re Wilkinson from Virgin Holidays with the cruise line 's Jonny Peat.

AGENT TRAINING ●

The Cunard and P&O Cruises Partnership Team has launched a new newsletter to provide agents with the latest news and information from the brands, distributed via email and posted on its social pages. It shares information about the lines’ latest campaigns and details of how agents can enter competitions to win prizes. It also features an update from the brands and fleet as well as a ‘meet the team’ section and a Q&A feature. For details see completecruisesolution.com

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Following a 16% year-on-year growth in UK visitors this year, Sri Lanka has seen a surge in agents completing its online training course. As a result, the tourist board has increased the value of prizes it offers, with the last prize draw offering £100 in Love2Shop vouchers. For details on the next quarterly draw see srilankatraining.com/prizes

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September 2 2015

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newsbulletin River cruise launch from Shearings SHEARINGS HOLIDAYS has launched its new 2017 River Cruise programme which showcases its collection of river cruises across Europe including 14 new itineraries and a new design.

Key highlights include three new sailings on the fourstar MS Serenade 2, an expanded range of mini-cruises, a tour along Russia’s imperial waterways and new tours on partner cruises along the Adriatic Coast, Douro River, Baltic Sea Coast and Russia’s Imperial Waterways.

In addition, customers who book by November 14 will save up to £100 per couple.

As price examples, three new itineraries have been added on the four-star MS Serenade 2, including a ten-day ‘Beautiful Bavaria to the Danube River’ cruise which costs from £1,299 and a ten-day ‘Hidden Gems of the Danube’ itinerary, which visits three countries including Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.

The operator has also updated its selection of ‘Exclusive to Shearings’ cruises, adding a new ten-day itinerary on the MPS Da Vinci, ‘The Rhine, Strasbourg & Scenic Switzerland’ and a sailing that explores Holland’s Hidden Gems on MPS Rotterdam.

The brochure also introduces a relaxing new cruise on MV Virginia, which uncovers the best of the Moselle Valley.

In line with customer feedback, the company has also expanded its mini-cruise range, with the addition of a fiveday ‘Keukenhof Gardens Mini-Cruise’ from £384, a six-day ‘Scenic Swiss Rhine Mini-Cruise’ from £619 and a six-day ‘Escape to Provence Mini-Cruise’ from £664.

There are also new tours along the Adriatic coast, the Rhone and the Baltic Sea Coast, plus more choice and capacity on the Douro River and Venice Lagoon, with an updated collection of ‘Escorted by Shearings’ cruises.

Agents also have the chance to earn £25 per passenger in Love2Shop vouchers for every river cruise booking that they make before August 31. Completed forms must be returned to sales.support@shearings.com with 'Plain Sailing' in the title.

For more information see shearings.com or call 01942823449.

MOVERS VERTICAL TRAVEL Group has appointed Susan Forsdike as group product manager, and has promoted Sarah Hollands to group product & commercial director and Peter Bentley to group technical director. ● KOREAN AIR has appointed Jong Rae Kim as UK and Ireland regional manager. ● SILVIA VIZZONI has joined Australis to head up sales and business development in the UK and Ireland. ● AFFORDABLE CAR Hire has appointed Rosie Chapman as sales manager east and Ellis Sontag as sales executive, covering the South East region. Meanwhile, Hayley Attwood has been promoted to general manager. ● CLARITY TRAVEL Management has expanded its sales and account management team with the appointment of Nigel Cleur as strategic account manager and Esther Jeffers in the role of lead generator. ● SMALL LUXURY Hotels of the World (SLH) has appointed Carsten Lima to the newly created role of vice president of sales, EMEA. ●

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Su Doku

Where Am I?

Win a £50 M&S voucher in the travelbulletin Su Doku prize puzzle Number: 033

A➠

B➠ C➠

D➠ Fill in all the squares in the grid so that each row, column and each of the 3 x 3 squares contains the digits 1-9.

Once you have completed the puzzle, simply identify the numbers that relate to the letters, A, B, C and D then e-mail the solution, with your name, company name, and full postal address plus phone and ABTA number if applicable to: competition@travelbulletin.co.uk Closing date for entries is Thursday, September 8th. Solution and new puzzle will appear next week.

The winner for 12th August is Shannon Nichols, East of England Coop Travel in Leiston.

August 12 Solution: A=9 B=6 C=7 D=3

Crossword

Named after a monk who allegedly chose the site for his hermitage, this monastery turned castle commands northern coast views on this Mediterranean Island and is rumoured to have been the inspiration for the fairytale castle of Disney’s ‘Snow White and the seven dwarfs’.

Fill in the crossword to reveal the mystery location highlighted by the green squares.

Number: 033

Across 1. Leading provider of escorted coach holidays and cruises (5) 4. National airline of the Czech Republic (3) 7. Phoenix is the state capital (7) 8. One of the Leeward Islands (7) 10. Part of a journey (3) 11. Richmond, Virginia international airport code (3) 13. Major operator, part of TUI (7) 15. Carrier with an Istanbul hub, ___ Airlines (7) 17. Currency of Albania (3) 18. Operator specialising in self-catering holidays, ___ Plus (5)

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Down 1. First British woman to win four Olympic gold medals (5,5) 2. Medieval Flemish city (5) 3. African country, initially (3) 4. Musical currently touring the UK, sounds like a US city (7) 5. Ring-shaped coral island (5) 6. Four countries border this African Great Lake (10) 9. Major UK airport (7) 12. First name of popular BBC weather presenter (5) 14. Capital of South Korea (5) 16. Havana international airport code (3)

For the solution to the Crossword and Where Am I? Please see page 36 September 2 2016

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DoubleTree by Hilton opens in Polish city of Wroclaw DOUBLETREE by Hilton has opened a new property in the Polish city of Wroclaw, which is currently 2016’s European Capital of Culture.

The 189-room DoubleTree by Hilton Wroclaw is housed in the six-storey OVO Wroclaw complex in the town centre on Podwale Street, nearby to the Main Square.

The hotel features Wroclaw’s newest destination bar, the atmospheric OVO bar and restaurant which offers a live cooking station.

General manager Matthias Herd said: “We look forward to welcoming guests to our hotel and delighting them with DoubleTree by Hilton’s kind and caring service. Wroclaw is rapidly becoming a tourist destination in its own right and demand is rising, so we are in an ideal location.

“I am certain that the hotel’s range of facilities will cater to the needs of business and leisure travellers alike and will provide a new, fresh level of hospitality to this vibrant city.” Visit doubletree3.hilton.com

Great Rail Journeys adds 17 new experiences in 2017 brochure GREAT RAIL Journeys has launched its new Europe, UK and Ireland 2017 brochure featuring 17 new itineraries and three booking offers.

The new programme includes 120 tours with a new collection of European escorted tours focusing on Switzerland, Scandinavia, France, Spain, and Portugal.

The operator has also reacted to the growing popularity of staycation breaks with new UK and Ireland product.

New offers for 2017 include no single supplement when booking on

or before December 9, 2016, savings of up to £75 per person when booking on or before October 31 and low deposits of £50 per person when booking an Italian holiday on or before December 9.

The no-single supplement applies to 20 itineraries in the programme including the best-selling Traditional Glacier Express, which leads in at £1,275 per person for an eight-day tour. The trip includes return rail, hotel accommodation, selected meals, and various excursions

When your hotel suite is your destination, arrive in style in Club Europe

including journeys on the Glacier Express and a full day on the Bernina Express.

One of the operator’s new fly-rail tours for 2017 is the 12-day Portugal and Madeira, which includes a guided tour of Porto, a train journey through the UNESCO-listed Douro Valley, a tour of Madeira with wine tasting, before ending with a visit to the glorious Quinta do Palheiro Gardens.

For more information, go to greatrail.com or call 0800 240 4470

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Industry Insight by...

A Cause for Optimism…

by Colin O'Neill, business development director, Advantage

A

S SUMMER draws to a close and we head into the autumn period, it is important that we look forward with optimism for the final part of the year.

As I mentioned last month, the industry has of late faced one incident after another which has put a huge strain on consumer confidence and which has in turn impacted upon sales; this is true in both the leisure and business travel sectors of the market. For many businesses, the summer sales period is a key time in the year for creating wealth for the business.

However, the summer sales period will shortly be over and there is nothing that anyone can do to claw back the summer holiday business that has been lost.

It is therefore important that we metaphorically dust ourselves down and go again for the remainder of the year. This will be as much a case of having a strong mental attitude as exercising individual sales and marketing skills.

As a central business, there are three key things that we are doing during the month of September to help get our members in the right place for the months ahead.

In addressing the mental attitude part of the plan, we are holding a new event at the end of September called The Big Celebration Lunch. The purpose of the event is to share our collective successes and we will be presenting awards to both our members and preferred business partners. However, as we really want to spread the sense of achievement as far as possible, the business partner hosting tables are inviting as many of their individual star members as possible.

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The business support element for our members comes in the shape of an integrated marketing and sales promotion ‘book early’ campaign which will encourage consumers to think about booking ahead and to remind them of the many benefits of booking early. The campaign will help promote messages to our member’s customers on important topics, such as the added security of booking through a travel agent, booking early to avoid disappointment and book safe, ensuring holidays they book are fully bonded.

"dust ourselves down and go again for the remainder of the year" Finally, the middle of September will see registrations open for the 2017 Advantage Conference which takes place next May at the Club Med Opio en Provence resort in the South of France. Not only will we be offering early bird booking incentives for our members but we will also be revealing details of the conference theme and outline programme as well as our first keynote speaker. And whilst I don’t want to give too much away at this stage, the conference will place a high emphasis on the relentless march of new and emerging technology, its impact on customers and the key role agents can play to harness that technology for their own benefit.

So, in summary, we have come through a tricky summer but that is now behind us and we need to move on to make up for as much potentially lost ground as possible.

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Belmond to strengthen portfolio with new barges LUXURY OPERATOR Belmond is introducing two new luxury boats to its fleet of barges, Belmond Afloat.

Scheduled to launch in summer 2017, Belmond Lilas and Belmond Pivoine are set to cruise along the canals and rivers throughout Alsace and Champagne.

Six-night itineraries feature private visits to vineyards and breweries and châteaux. Belmond Pivoine will cruise between Meaux and Châlons-en-Champagne along the River Marne and Canal Lateral de Marne, while Belmond Lilas will cruise the Canal de la Marne au Rhin through the heart of the Alsace region.

The two new barges will bring the fleet to a total of seven. Belmond Afloat in France also offers tailor-made itineraries around Burgundy, Cote D’Or, France Comte, Saone, Provence, Valle du Rhone and Canal du Midi. The barges can accommodate between four and 12 passengers with an experienced crew, ensuite cabins, living space and dining room. Prices start at 5,200 euros per person for a six-night cruise on an all-inclusive basis based on eight guests travelling.

Visit belmond.com

Platinum-recording artist Little Big Town will perform in Nassau on Carnival Dream on May 11 and on Carnival Valor on May 12 as part of Carnival LIVE’s line-up of big stars for 2017.

Carnival lines up stars for 2017 shows CARNIVAL CRUISE Line has announced its initial 2017 Carnival LIVE line-up featuring country music stars Tim McGraw and Little Big Town along with comedians Jay Leno and Jeff Foxworthy who will perform on seven different ships departing from five US homeports.

Carnival LIVE is an entertainment experience that aims to bring the best in live music and comedy to the seas.

Three-time Grammy Award winner Tim McGraw will bring his signature brand of country music to two Carnival ships with performances on Carnival Breeze on March 2, and Carnival Valor on March 3, while the ships are docked in Nassau, The Bahamas. Little Big Town will perform in Nassau on Carnival Dream on May 11 and on Carnival Valor on May 12. Jeff Foxworthy is the largest selling comedy recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee and author of 11 books. He will perform two shows – one on board Carnival Freedom on June 21 and another on Carnival Ecstasy on June 22, while the ships are docked in Nassau.

A long-time host of NBC’s Tonight Show, Jay Leno will entertain guests in Cozumel on Carnival Victory on May 3, and Carnival’s newest ship, Carnival Vista on May 4.

Carnival LIVE tickets for Tim McGraw, Little Big Town, Jeff Foxworthy and Jay Leno range in price from $30 to $80 for general admission Visit carnival.co.uk/carnival-live.aspx for details.

Mercury Holidays launches European River Cruises for 2017 MERCURY HOLIDAYS has strengthened its European River Cruises programme for 2017 with the introduction of five new voyages.

‘The Enchanting Waterways of Venice’ leads in at £699, ‘Paris and the Seine Valley’ £1,099, ‘Bordeaux Chateaux, Rivers and Wine’ from £999, ‘Grand Capitals of the Danube’ from £1,099 and ‘Italy’s Amalfi Coast and Sicily’ from £1,199.

All of these prices are per person and include flights or Eurostar travel, all-inclusive dining package, entertainment on board and return transfers to the ship and airport.

Visit mercuryholidays.co.uk for more information.

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Celestyal Cruises launches foodie voyages CELESTYAL CRUISES has launched a series of enogastronomy-themed experiences that will be available on all of its cruises departing this September and October.

The Stories of Greek Enogastronomy will invite passengers to indulge in Greece’s best delicacies.

Guests will have the chance to sample 40 Greek cheeses, as well as a plethora of Greek wines and spirits and Greek dishes. The first enogastronomy cruise will focus on authentic Greek spirits, including ouzo, tsipouro and liqueurs, while selected departures will focus on Greek olive oil, Greek pastry as well as authentic cheese and wine.

The line’s seven-day ‘Iconic Aegean’ itinerary departs Athens on September 2, visiting six Greek islands, including Mykonos and Santorini.

Celestyal Cruises offers three-, four- and seven-day cruises with prices from £262 per person on full board basis.

Visit CelestyalCruises.com

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Hotel Updates The Wellesley has picked up the pace with its offering of a Running Butler. Whether training for an ultra marathon or a first-time 5k, the complimentary service is available to all guests working towards their running goals until October 31. An extension of the boutique Knightsbridge hotel’s signature butler service, the Running Butler is on hand to tend to runners’ every need - from waiting with refreshing soft drinks and homemade protein snacks, to preparing an aromatic bubble bath to soothe tired muscles after a day’s training. Rooms are available from £435 per night. Visit thewellesley.co.uk

Admiralty Arch, one of the most iconic buildings in London, is being restored to convert the building into a 100-bedroom hotel, spa, private residences and private members' club. Previously used by Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Mountbatten, and James Bond creator Ian Fleming, as well as other influential figures, the building now has 12 of the world’s top hotel groups expressing interest in running the hotel.

Visit admiraltyarch.co.uk

The Strand Palace Hotel will be the official hotel partner of this year’s Raindance Film Festival. Based in the heart of Covent Garden and London’s West End, the hotel will offer discounted rates to festival delegates and Raindance members leading up to and during the event, which takes place in central from September 21 – October 2.

Dorsett Hospitality International has announced the development of its second hotel in London, Dorsett City, located next to Aldgate tube station. Set to open in Q1 2017, the 13storey property will be a sleek and sensitively designed building with 275 guestrooms and will also house two restaurants, a bar and 1,600 sq. ft. of meeting space.

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Eating out

Relais & Châteaux will be partnering with food design creators Bompass & Parr for an immersive tasting and art installation in London to celebrate the joy of bees and to showcase some of the rarest honeys in the world. Held over four floors in the heart of Soho, at 19 Greek Street, visitors can expect a veritable honey pot of experiences including honey tasting led by a honey sommelier and hands-on chef cookery demos.

‘The Joy of Bees’ will take place on October 6-8, is open to the public with tickets costing £9.00 per person and available to purchase via Billetto. All proceeds will be donated to The British Beekeepers Association. Visit relaischateaux.com

Blanchette East has officially opened on Brick Lane. The second restaurant to be opened by brothers Maxime, Yannis and Malik Alary, it celebrates everything that guests have come to love about the Soho original but with a few distinct variations. The modern French menu incorporates more Southern French and North African influences with spices from the regions, while the décor is inspired by the Parisian Belle Époque era combined with a distinctive urban feel of East London. Visit blanchettelondon.co.uk

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Attraction news Group travel in London has now become easier with Group Day Travelcards now available online. The travelcards are available for groups of ten or more people and can be used on a variety of different modes of transport when travelling in London. Cards can be purchased online via the TfL Visitor Shop, which VisitBritain operates on behalf of Transport for London, and travel trade partners can also purchase these discounted tickets directly on the website. Carol Dray, commercial director for VisitBritain, said: “The Group Day Travelcard is a ‘must have’ pass for any large group travelling on London’s extensive transport network, which not only offers easy access to many of the city’s attractions but also puts the rest of Britain within easy reach.” The cards can be used after 09.30 weekdays as well as anytime at weekends and national holidays at the cheaper price of £8 per adult and £4 per child. Groups must travel together when using the Group Day Travelcard and are valid on the Tube, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and most National Rail services within London fare zones 1 to 6. They can also be used on all London Bus services and on trams.

For more information go to visitorshop.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/group-day-london-travelcard/

The Olympic spirit is heading to London on September 10 with a ‘Brazil Day 2016’ celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Trafalgar Square. The free event will take place between 12:00 and 19:00 and offers an opportunity for visitors to enjoy a taste of Brazil’s culture and passion with Brazilian music, DJs, sport and traditional Brazilian food.

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LATAM to fly non-stop from Lima to Barcelona

JOURNEY LATIN America is launching a one-off highlights holiday to experience the 2017 annual solar eclipse in Chile. The natural phenomenon will be seen to varying degrees across the southern half of South America but it is in Patagonia where the totality of the eclipse can be seen. The 15-day holiday starts in Santiago before journeying south to the wilderness of Torres del Paine National Park and then onto Coyhaique, where guests will witness the big event on February 26. Stargazing and salt flats feature at the Atacama Desert with an opportunity for a hot air balloon ride before stopping in Valparaíso. Costing £5,457 per person this includes domestic flights, good-quality accommodation, breakfast, excursions and transfers. International flights are extra. Visit journeylatinamerica.co.uk

Trafalgar expands South America product for 2017 A NEW 13-day South America Landscapes round-trip across Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile is the headline trip in Trafalgar’s new 2017 South America programme, now available online.

The operator’s 2017 South America product comprises 11 handcrafted itineraries and four extensions, with six trip styles tapping into the heartbeat of Latin America.

The new ‘South America Landscapes’ guided holiday is priced from £3,692 per person twin share, and includes some of the continent’s hottest highlights in less than two weeks; from Santiago to Rio de Janeiro, experiencing the UNESCO World Heritage site Iguazu Falls, the highs of the Christ the Redeemer statue and Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio, a Corcovado lake cruise in Chile and more. Seven internal flights are included, along with accommodation in centrally-located, five-star hotels in Rio, Buenos Aires and Santiago.

Departures take place from January to December next year.

Also new for 2017 is a two-day ‘Paracas and Nazca Lines’ post-extension to the ‘Cultures and Contrasts of South America’, lengthening the 21-day adventure to 23 days and enabling guests to see the Nazca Lines from the air and to cruise the Ballestas Islands, a "mini-Galapagos" teeming with wildlife.

Clients can save up to 10% across the programme on land arrangements when booking and paying in full before November 25. Past guest discounts of 5% per person are also available for guests who have previously travelled with TTC’s family of brands.

To find out more visit trafalgar.com.

FROM DECEMBER 15, LATAM Airlines Group will operate three weekly nonstop flights between Lima and Barcelona.

The service will be operated by Boeing 767 aircraft with 216 seats in Economy and 16 seats in Premium Business, departing Lima on Monday, Thursday and Saturday evenings with a flight time of approximately 14 hours.

Currently, around 8% of passengers flying on the airline’s Lima-Madrid service connect via Barcelona. The airline group projects that more than 19,000 passengers per year will fly the new non-stop route.

Roberto Alvo, senior vicepresident of International and Alliances for the group, said: “This new direct service between Lima and Barcelona will offer passengers on both sides of the Atlantic greater convenience, shorter journey times and access to more destinations. As an airline group, we now serve six major cities across Europe, offering unrivalled connectivity to more than 110 destinations across Latin America.”

Visit latam.com for more details.

Air Europa connects you to some of the key cities of Latin America.

Fly ffrrom London Gatwick to Buenos Aires, B ogot a, Lima, Sao Paulo, Guayaquil – Ecuador (from D ecember 16th) and many more.

All flights are via Madrid.

For more information call: 08714230717 or visit us at: w w w.aireuropaexperts.com

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Island safaris & mountain treks: LATA highlights new tours THE LATIN AMERICAN Travel Association (LATA) has highlighted a host of new experiential tours each designed to offer guests a unique way of discovering all that this diverse destination has to offer. Operator tours range from trekking in the clouds, an exploration of Bolivia and Colombia, and island hopping to seek out the wildlife of the Galapagos.

Llama Travel has introduced two new tours to its portfolio of holidays. The operator has launched a five-day Bolivia itinerary that begins in La Paz and visits the Witches Market and Plaza Murillo before moving on to Uyuni, the largest salt flats in the world. Highlights of the holiday also include visits to the train cemetery, the extinct Tunupa Volcano and the Coquesa Mummies, as well as the ancient temple ruins of Twanaku. The tour is priced from £1,399 including flights and accommodation. The operator has also redesigned its 14-day ‘Best of Colombia’ holiday which will be sold from January 2017 as the ‘Treasures of El Dorado’ adding new destinations such as Medellin and Lake Guatavita. Prices for the tour start from £1,999. Visit llamatravel.com Meanwhile Metropolitan Touring has introduced a new eight-day island safari-style trip combining stays at the newly renovated Finch Bay Eco Hotel on Santa Cruz and Isabela’s Scalesia Lodge. The trip includes tours of Santa Cruz and Isabela Island as well as day trips to neighbouring isles and, a 30 minute flight from Baltra to Isabela, offering views of the active volcano, walking amongst Galapagos penguins and spotting hordes of whitetipped reef sharks. The holiday is priced from £3,030 and includes inter-island flights and local Galapagos transfers, accommodation, meals and all activities.

Visit finchbayhotel.com Rainbow Tours has launched a new north west Argentina ‘Trekking to the Clouds’ holiday that combines Buenos Aires with the landscapes around Salta in the northwest. The 12day trip includes a challenging trek along an old Inca trail, beginning at San Antonio de los Cobres with views towards Quebrada del Roro and the snowy peaks of Mount San Miguel and Acay. Departures are on selected dates between September and December with tour prices from £2,460 per person, based on two adults sharing, and includes international flights, accommodation, transfers and activities.

Visit rainbowtours.co.uk

Air Europa upgrades business class on long haul fleet AIR EUROPA is now bolstering its Business Class on long haul flights, reconfiguring three Airbus 330 aeroplanes travelling on the Sao Paulo and New York routes with 24 new fully reclining ‘flat bed’ seats.

As well as increasing the business class capacity, the upgrade includes design improvements such as adjustable headrests and folding armrests, an individual entertainment system, three reading light positions, and a power outlet for charging laptops, tablets and other devices.

Visit aireuropa.com for more details.

Twice as nice: Saga Sapphire journeys through the Panama Canal

CLUB MED is opening a new 5T space at The Club Med Rio resort for summer 2017. Although the resort already boasts a cool and exotic vibe the new facilities will be designed for those travellers seeking to indulge in that extra bit of luxury and will include 33 elegant suites housed in three four-storey buildings including a selection of six penthouse suites. The Brazilian resort is located in the Mata Atlantica nature reserve and offers a good range of land and water sports.

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FOR CLIENTS whose bucket list features the Panama Canal, Saga Sapphire’s ‘Central American Discovery’ cruise will travel through the waterway on both its outward and return journeys. The 700-passenger ship will sail through the canal on January 30 next year and again on February 17 for the return leg of her 66night cruise.

The grand voyage to Latin America departs on January 11, 2017 and offers guests the chance to view Mayan ruins, bask in Caribbean sunshine, stay overnight in Havana and board a restored Atlantic Railway train to see wildlife in Costa Rica.

It will also call into 18 new ports including: Cartagena, Colombia; Oranjestad, Aruba; Colon, Panama; Caldera, Costa Rica; Acajutla, El Salvador; Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Acapulco, Mexico; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Corinto, Nicaragua; Flamenco Marina, Panama; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica; Trujillo, Honduras; Belize; Havana and Santiago de Cuba, Cuba; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Costing from £9,352 based on two people sharing the lowest available inside cabin this includes VIP travel service to and from Southampton, all meals and entertainment, afternoon tea, 24-hour room service, welcome cocktail party, unlimited tea and coffee in selected venues, free Wi-Fi, all on-board gratuities, porterage, shuttle bus to nearest town centre, tourist visa, optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights, or a discount if passenger has own insurance.

For details visit travel.saga.co.uk/cruises

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Peru to welcome South America’s first luxury sleeper train SOUTH AMERICA’s first luxury sleeper train, Belmond Andean Explorer, will launch in Peru in May 2017.

The new train is set to traverse the Peruvian Andes from Cusco to Lake Titicaca and Arequipa, exploring the natural wonders and ancient kingdoms on one- and two-night journeys. As an example ‘Peruvian Highlands’ is a three-day journey departing from Cusco which travels across the highest plains of the Andes, to Puno where guests visit the floating islands on Lake Titicaca and onwards to the city centre of Arequipa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The train is able to accommodate 68 guests in en-suite cabins including two double cabins, 20 twin cabins and 12 bunk bed cabins for two people. An Observation Car with an open-air deck offers dramatic views and a drink whilst the Lounge Car provides a comfortable setting to relax and reflect on the day’s adventures.

Prices start from $462 per person for the onenight ‘Spirit of the Andes’ journey, including all meals, an open bar and scheduled excursions.

Visit belmond.com/belmondandean-explorer for more details.

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A NEW sustainable boutique hotel has opened in the heart of the bustling historic district of Quito, Ecuador. The Carlota Hotel boasts 12 individual rooms each decorated with their own innovative style, a bistro offering local delicacies, a roof top lounge from which guests can enjoy a drink overlooking the city’s historical landmarks and an urban garden. Located minutes away from tourist sites such as the ‘Plaza Grande’, ‘La Mariscal’, ‘Iglesia Santo Domingo’ and the vibrant ‘La Ronda’ district, one-night in a standard double room is priced from £130 based on two people sharing. Visit carlota.ec/en/ or quito-turismo.gob.ec/

Contiki launches 2017/18 Latin America programme VISITING EIGHT Latin countries, via 27 trips and four different travel styles, Contiki’s 2017/18 Latin America programme aims to provide something for every millennial traveller and has launched five all-new Latin itineraries.

These new programme additions include two new Costa Rica trips which can be linked to create a 15-day adventure, a dedicated exploration of Ecuador and two multi-country adventures ticking off bucket list destinations such as the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon and Machu Picchu.

The operator is able to offer the flexibility for clients to see and do it all or enjoy snapshots of these destinations’ highlights via two different travel styles: Discovery Plus and In-Depth Explorer.

On Discovery Plus, the 14-day ‘Trails, Turtles & Treks’ says hello to giant tortoises, penguins and puffer fish in the waters of the Galapagos before embarking on an adventure to Machu Picchu whilst ‘Latin Icons’ ticks off the Galapagos Islands, the Amazon and the Inca Trail over 14 days.

Those travelling on In-Depth Explorer can embark on a deep exploration of Costa Rica with the nine-day ‘Pura Vida’. Travellers will meet the local ticas and ticos and experience their laid back lifestyle with beach days, spa treatments and mud pools. For adventureseekers, white water rafting, canyoneering, abseiling and canopy adventures are all available. ‘Canopies & Cabanas’ is a relaxed week-long trip featuring the beaches of Costa Rica, with a little adventure and wildlife thrown in. Clients will zipline through the tropics, learn from Costa Rican coffee producers and visit a butterfly sanctuary. Alternatively with one foot in each hemisphere travellers will discover the heart of Ecuador in the seven-day ‘Lava Line’. During this trip they will head into the jungle, get local with an indigenous community, visit an active volcano and make a splash in waterfalls and hot springs.

Donna Jeavons, sales and marketing director for UK and Europe, commented: “Our new Latin product has been designed with young travellers in mind, offering a truly flexible collection of once-in-a-lifetime holidays. We’ve included a range of ‘must do’ experiences in each itinerary, plus even more free time (we call it ME Time) which gives our travellers the freedom to design their own adventure with our incredible selection of optional activities.”

For more information check out contiki.com or 0808 281 1115.

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Funway Holidays debuts new Mexico brochure FUNWAY HOLIDAYS has recently launched its first ever Caribbean & Mexico brochure, featuring a wealth of new product in both destinations.

Mexico prices start from £1,049 per person for a seven-night stay at the Occidental Grand Xcaret, Mexico. This includes flights with Thomas Cook Airlines from Gatwick and is based on two adults sharing.

The 140-page brochure includes a significant boost to the existing Mexico portfolio and is valid for travel up to December 31, 2017.

Additional hotel highlights include the four-star Sandos Caracol Eco Resort in Riviera Maya and three-star NYX Hotel Cancun both all-inclusive, as well as new all-inclusive properties; the five-star Breathless Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa in Riviera Maya which opened in May and the five-star El Dorado Maroma in Punta Maroma opening this autumn.

Commenting on the launch, Nick Talbot, head of marketing for the operator, said: “We’re delighted to be launching our new bigger and better Mexico programme. The destination is performing extremely well with bookings up significantly year on year. We’ve come a long way since the launch of our Mexico programme back in 2011."

Visit funway4agents.co.uk for further details.

On The Go Tours launches new 16-day Peruvian Adventure from £3,155 ON THE Go Tours has launched a new tour of Peru that takes explorers off road and allows them to discover some of the more unusual sights the country has to offer.

The 16-day ‘Peru Explorer’ itinerary takes travellers through the landscapes, cities and towns of Peru, travelling in a 4x4 convoy with a driver guide, with stays at a range of boutique properties and visits to the country's main highlights along the way.

The overland tour begins with a drive out of Lima on the iconic Panamerican Highway. Arriving at Nazca and the home of the Nazca Lines, travellers can opt for a flight over the UNESCO-listed site before

heading off road into the desert to see the mummies of Chauchilla. Explorers will then delve further into Peru’s unusual sights and drive higher into the Andes Mountains before heading to a secluded rural retreat for the night, surrounded by the snow-capped peaks of Mount Saltankay.

The tour then meanders across the south-eastern region, spending three days in the city of Cuzco with guidedtours of Rio Urabamba and the Inca sights of Maras and Moray. With Machu Picchu nearby there are two choices for those who want to visit this New Wonder of the World; either by train or, for keen walkers, joining the Inca Trail trek which arrives at the ancient citadel through the Sun Gate.

Taking the road north leads explorers to the ‘eyebrow of the jungle’, where mountain and jungle meet. The next stop is Pampas, which takes travellers along a narrow lane cut into the Rio Mantaro River gorge.

From here the journey continues to Tarma, a colourful town home to ruins, waterfalls, jungles and caves.

After a day trip into the Pampa Hermosa Jungle Reserve, the journey comes to an end with a Peruvian Pachamanca celebration in Tarma.

Starting from £3,155 per person, the overland explorer tour is also available to families, with children over the age of seven welcome.

Visit onthegotours.com or call 0207371 1113 for further information.

Avianca introduces three weekly flights between Cusco and Bogota WITH THE PURPOSE of bringing travellers closer to unique Colombian experiences, Avianca has started operating a non-stop flight between Cusco and Bogota.

With three weekly flights, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the airline will connect both cities using an Airbus 319 aircraft and with a 120-passenger capacity it means more than 700 weekly seats available for both markets.

The new connection was highlighted by Felipe Jaramillo, president of ProColombia, as advantageous not only in the facilitation of more travellers from Peru – a number that increased 9.8% in 2015 - but also from other parts of the world. He said: “Since Cusco receives a large number of international tourists this new connection may attract them to different regions of Colombia.”

According to Jaramillo, the operation translates into an opportunity for Colombia to include multi-destination packages that promote cultural experiences offered by the country in niches such as gastronomy, adventure, nature, meetings, shopping, fairs and festivals, and to receive more international travelers from American or European countries connecting by air with the Colombian city or Cusco.

This point was further emphasised by Nain Garrués, general director of Avianca Peru, who commented: “We are proud of this new step: connecting an inner city of Peru with an international hub like Bogota, facilitating access to passengers to and from Cusco and favouring its potential as a world tourism destination. In this way we decentralise our connection access and open a new door for receptive tourism in the country.”

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AARHUS IS set to become the European Capital of Culture in 2017 with a theme of 'RETHINK'. Denmark's second-largest city will play host to four major events, 12 'full moon' happenings and more than 300 projects of thought-provoking art and culture. A caste of several thousand people, including Danish and international artists, will come together to create unique moments that rethink art, food, music and ballet. Selected highlights of the Aarhus 2017 Festival Programme can be viewed at aarhus2017.dk/en/selected-highlights

Cloudberry Journeys explores Arctic Scandinavia IN RESPONSE to the ever increasing demand for alternative travel destinations Cloudberry Journeys has expanded its list of itineraries, with a strong focus on Arctic Europe.

Offering a photogenic wilderness within easy reach of the UK, a variety of activities and excursions, diversity across the seasons and complete flexibility in terms of client wishes, Arctic Scandinavia continues to grow in popularity as a year round travel destination. Earlier this summer the company launched its new website and has since continued to release itineraries that showcase this unique region.

Typically the Arctic and northern Scandinavia summon images of winter snowscapes and husky sledding beneath Northern Lights displays, but the regions can also offer engaging summer and autumn holidays for clients in search of an active break. The Arctic region can offer everything from winter spa breaks, to summer kayaking beneath the midnight sun and foraging through the golden autumn bounty.

A three-night winter break in Finnish Lapland including a glass igloo stay starts from £1,145 based on two sharing on a half-board basis and includes flights from London via Helsinki.

Alternatively a summer adventure through Swedish Lapland and into Arctic Norway on the iconic Ofotbanen railway starts at £1,783 per person, based on two people sharing, travelling from the UK and staying seven nights.

For more information visit cloudberryjourneys.co.uk or call 0207 199 6013.

Ride like a Viking in autumn forests with Simply Sweden SIMPLY SWEDEN is inviting guests to ride like a Viking through Swedish forests as the leaves change to red and gold this autumn.

On ‘Escape – Swedish Style’ guests can take the reins of an Icelandic horse, the steeds favoured by the Vikings more than 1,000 years ago, to go in search of animal tracks beneath the autumn canopy of Ockelbo’s forests. Led by an expert guide, they will learn how to spot the spoor of moose, deer, wolf and even brown bear.

The two-centre holiday is based at Stilleben, a bed-and-breakfast in a former parish hall and blacksmith’s forge, and Kabin, a little red cottage on a secret island deep in the forest. As part of the experience, guests will feast on locally grown and foraged foods typical of the season.

Guests can also join an overnight bearwatching safari and cultural tours, or go cycling, canoeing, and lake-swimming. The holiday costs from £1,250 per adult, £525 per child, based on two sharing, and includes flights, transfers, and full-board accommodation. Excursions cost extra. The tour is available until October 31 with bear safaris running until September 10.

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Also recommended by the operator for the autumn season is ‘Self-Catering in Swedish Lapland’. Based at Årrenjarka, a 19th century homestead on an historic migration route for the Sami and their reindeer herds, guests can join a Sami archaeologist to learn about Stone Age man and learn about Sami life. Other excursions include mountain hikes, forest and beach walks with husky sled dogs, lake fishing, canoeing, helicopter sightseeing flights, and boat tours of the river delta.

Accommodation is in log cabins on the banks of Lake Saggat, with terraces that look out over the water, saunas, fully equipped kitchens and lounges with open fires. The main building has a small shop and bar, as well as a restaurant, where the owners’ family tradition of living off the land is kept alive, with dishes using locally sourced Arctic char, reindeer and moose.

The seven-night holiday costs from £835 per person, based on six sharing a threebedroom cabin on a self-catering basis, including flights to Luleå via Stockholm and car rental, available until September 27.

For more information visit simplysweden.co.uk or call 01427 700115.

Taber journeys to the Arctic Circle in new autumn tour CROSSING THE Arctic Circle and journeying to Europe’s northernmost region, ‘A Norwegian Journey to the High Arctic’ is a new tour this autumn from Taber Holidays.

Beginning in Trondheim, Norway’s third largest city, the trip takes guests north on board Hurtigruten. The crossing of the Arctic Circle is celebrated on board before guests continue to the scenic Lofoten Islands, the popular arctic city of Tromsø overlooked by the mighty Lyngen Alps, North Cape, Europe’s most northerly point and finally finishes in Kirkenes, a historical town near the Russian border.

Prices for the sevennight tour based on two sharing start from £1,575 per person and includes flights from Heathrow to Trondheim, returning from Kirkenes, two nights accommodation in Trondheim with breakfast, four nights on board Hurtigruten in an unspecified cabin with breakfast and dinner and a night in Kirkenes including breakfast.

Departures are daily until November 30.

For more information call 01274 875 199 or visit taberhols.co.uk

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EXPLORING THE Arctic wilderness of Spitsbergen, Great Rail Journeys is offering a 12-day adventure in Norway’s ‘Kingdom of The Polar Bear’. Starting in Bergen, the tour encourages guests to experience the country’s wild side with a trip on the iconic Flåm Railway, a cruise along the Naeroyfjord, a visit to Kongsfjorden with its two glaciers and an authentic Arctic evening, with a bonfire, stories from Svalbard and polar bear presentation. Also included is a folklore show in Barentsburg and a champagne tasting in the world’s northernmost wine cellar. The trip costs from £4,095 per person with three departures across June-August 2017. Visit greatrail.com

SuperBreak promotes ‘Ultimate Iceland’ package and new adventure tours SUPERBREAK HAS reported that 70% of all bookings made to Iceland now include its ‘Ultimate Iceland’ excursion add–on package, up 20% on this time last year.

The package can be added to a three-night stay or more to Reykjavik and includes whale watching in the summer or a Northern Lights tour in the winter plus the popular Golden Circle Tour, Blue Lagoon with admission and Flybus tickets. Prices are from £151 per person in winter.

In addition, the operator has recently added two new tours for more adventurous customers.

‘Buggy Adventure’ offers a unique way for guests to enjoy Icelandic nature with a guided two-seat buggy tour. Designed for customers who

crave bumpy, dusty, dirty driving and thrills, drivers will overcome obstacles in the rugged landscape by the slopes of Mt Esja, climbing hills and running through river beds. Costing from £144 per person, a valid driving license for the driver is needed and safety equipment is provided.

Alternatively from £307 per person ‘Golden Circle Superjeep Tour & Snowmobiling’ includes scenic sites, mountain tracks and snowmobiling on Langjökull glacier.

During the day a super jeep will take customers to the key sites of Þingvellir National Park, Strokkur Geysir and Gullfoss waterfall. From here, when heading to the unbeaten paths of the highlands on the way to Europe’s second biggest glacier, the

jeeps come into their own driving through rough terrain before reaching the snow. On the glacier a one hour guided snowmobile tour awaits with gear included.

For more information call 01904 436000 or visit superbreak.com/agents

Nordic Experience unveils a range of new expereinces for 2016/2017 NORDIC EXPERIENCE has launched an array of new experiences in its program of holidays to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, Spitsbergen, Denmark and the Faroe Islands. Amongst the new itineraries on offer these include a northern lights autumn adventure and Sweden’s ICEHOTEL. Departing September to October from 2016, ‘Autumn Aurora and Wildlife Encounters’ in Norway counters the myth that the Northern Lights can only be seen between November and March; they are actually visible from September onwards. In this trip the operator has partnered with the some of people that helped Professor Brian Cox see the Northern Lights in the BBC Forces of Nature programme. This small group adventure takes place in Norway’s Vesterålen archipelago, tucked between Tromsø and Lofoten where forests burst with reds, browns and yellows, with an abundance of wildlife and hiking opportunities. Tour highlights include a Sami culture and reindeer encounter, wildlife safari and three northern lights chases.

This trip costs from £1,585 per person and £1,335 per children and includes a four-night half-board cabin stay at Vesterålen Sjøhus, based on four sharing, and includes flights, airport transfers, excursions and services of a local guide.

Sweden’s ICEHOTEL 365 will offer a ‘cool’ sleeping experience year round when it opens this November. With the operator’s self-guided ‘Midnight Sun Express & the ICEHOTEL 365’ guests will journey on from Tromsø in Northern Norway; across the vast tundra and mountain plateaus to Narvik, where they will board The Arctic Train to Kiruna in Sweden. The holiday culminates with a once-in-a-lifetime stay at the iconic hotel. Departing May to September 2017, the trip will include four nights’ accommodation based on two sharing - including one night in a deluxe suite at the ICEHOTEL - breakfast throughout, afternoon waffles and a light buffet supper in Tromsø, local bus from Tromsø to Narvik, Ofoten Railway train from Narvik to Kiruna, airport transfers, local transfers in Kiruna and flights.

For more information visit nordicexperience.co.uk or call 01206 708888.

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Summer season sees new Iceland products that offer visitors a ‘whale’ of a time WITH ITS midnight sun offering and new flights and tours, the summer season makes for a good time to visit Iceland with plenty of new experiences for visitors to enjoy. Highlights include the world’s most eco-friendly whale watching boat, new Krauma Nature Baths and greater accessibility from Scotland.

North Sailing, a whale watching tour company in Iceland, has introduced a new eco-friendly whale watching vessel.

Restored from an old sunken whaling vessel it runs entirely on Iceland’s geothermal power and offers twice daily departures for whale watching tours from Husavik. Visit northsailing.is Consisting of natural pools and springs, an icy pool, heated walkway and a tranquillity room, the Krauma Nature Baths in Reykholt is a new complex for Icelandic relaxation. Located outside of Reykjavik the pools are sourced from the Deildartunguhver and Raudsgill springs and two steam baths, each with its own aromatic theme. Visit krauma.is/#laugar Tour operator ‘The Cave’ has also recently undertaken work in the Víðgelmir cave in western Iceland, near Reykholt. The cave is now home to a new lighting feature and an access walkway, meaning visitors will have better access for a caving experience. It is the largest lava cave in Iceland and is open for a number of different tours allowing visitors to see the stunning formations. Visit thecave.is/is In airline news, on September 7 Icelandair will increase its service from Glasgow to Reykjavik to a daily service. The service currently operates six flights a week, and the additional flight will depart on Wednesdays from Keflavik at 07:30 landing at Glasgow airport at 10:40, and departing from Glasgow at 14:05 arriving into Keflavik airport at 15:25. Visit icelandair.co.uk. In addition WOW air‘s flight prices from Edinburgh to Iceland have been reduced to £49 one way. Flights depart from Edinburgh International Airport on Wednesdays and Fridays until October. Visit wowair.co.uk For more destination information visit inspiredbyiceland.com

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O T P S A C N TION O N NEW IN SUMMER 20 16

AND THE CHANCE

O O T L TO CHIL

A Discovery Cove Ultimate Package is like 2 holidays in 1.

Scream for pulse-racing coasters, exhilarating water rides and new thrills like Mako at SeaWorld and Cobra’s Curse at Busch Gardens.

There’s also the chance to make new friends with amazing animal encounters, and then relax on white sand beaches, lazy rivers and more. It’s Orlando like you’ve never experienced before.

Experience all four parks with the Discovery Cove Ultimate Package. Includes an all-inclusive day at Discovery Cove (dolphin swim or non-dolphin swim), 14 days unlimited admission to SeaWorld Orlando, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, and Aquatica. Free unlimited parking too!

For more information contact your preferred ticket provider or visit www.seaworldparksagents.co.uk 7HJRHNL PUJS\KLZ VUL HSS PUJS\ZP]L KH` H[ +PZJV]LY` *V]L HUK \USPTP[LK HKTPZZPVU [V :LH>VYSK (X\H[PJH HUK )\ZJO .HYKLUZ MVY JVUZLJ\[P]L KH`Z MYVT Ă&#x201E; YZ[ \ZL .\LZ[Z T\Z[ IL H[ SLHZ[ `LHYZ VM age to Z^PT ^P[O [OL KVSWOPUZ .\LZ[Z HNLK T\Z[ IL HJJVTWHUPLK I` H WH`PUN HK\S[ ^OV PZ HSZV WHY[PJPWH[PUN PU [OL KVSWOPU Z^PT L_WLYPLUJL *OPSKYLU HNLK T\Z[ W\YJOHZL [OL UVU KVSWOPU Z^PT WHJRHNL -YLL I\Z [YHUZWVY[H[PVU PZ H]HPSHISL [V )\ZJO .HYKLUZ VU [OL )\ZJO .HYKLUZ :O\[[SL ,_WYLZZ <USPTP[LK MYLL WHYRPUN H[ :LH>VYSK (X\H[PJH HUK )\ZJO .HYKLUZ PZ VUS` ]HSPK MVY [OL K\YH[PVU VM [OL [PJRL[ ;OPZ VÉ&#x2C6; LY JHU IL ^P[OKYH^U VY JOHUNLK H[ HU` [PTL Â? :LH>VYSK 7HYRZ ,U[LY[HPUTLU[ 0UJ (SS 9PNO[Z 9LZLY]LK

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AGENTS CAN pass on a saving of up to £50 to their clients when booking Discovery Cove Orlando through Attraction World. Prices are from £169 for a day at Discovery Cove with a swim experience and a 14 consecutive day ticket to SeaWorld and Aquatica when travelling between November 1, 2016 and February 28, 2017 and again between November 1 to December 31, 2017. Visit attractionworld.com

Dubai Parks and Resorts scheduled to open its gates on October 31 DUBAI PARKS and Resorts (DPR), the region’s largest theme park destination, will open its gates to the public on October 31.

Guests will be able to experience nearly 100 rides and attractions across three theme parks; Bollywood Parks Dubai, MOTIONGATE Dubai, and LEGOLAND Dubai, together with LEGOLAND Water Park. The destination will also include Riverland Dubai, a themed retail, dining, and entertainment experience, along with the Lapita Hotel, a Polynesian-themed family resort.

Raed Kajoor Al Nuaimi, CEO of the multi-themed leisure and entertainment destination, said: “This has been a long-time coming and I can’t say enough about how excited we are to welcome our guests to the destination to ‘Experience Amazing’. Nothing of

this magnitude has ever been done before, and we look forward to offering our guests close to 100 unforgettable rides, attractions and experiences. As the largest entertainment destination in the region, Dubai Parks and Resorts will create jobs in Dubai, support the UAE’s tourism vision and grow the family leisure industry in the region.”

Commission-earning tickets are on sale for Arabia’s largest new multi-attraction theme park with Barrhead Travel, Gold Medal, Travel 2 and Thomas Cook among a list of partners that have signed joint marketing deals with DPR to package and promote tickets across its four theme parks. Attraction World and Dosomethingdifferent.com are also to sell tickets, which again will boost the earning potential for agents selling holidays to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Agent incentives, guides to the park, e-shots, window and in-store displays and promotions are currently being created and will be with agents over the coming months.

Ian Scott, Group Managing Director for AMG Ltd, the representation company responsible for DPR’s travel trade marketing and sales activity in the UK, said: “Now that the deals with our travel trade partners have been agreed, we’ll be accelerating activity to generate a real buzz about the parks and provide agents with the confidence they need to sell this exciting new multi-attraction destination. The parks open in October, so we will be pre-selling tickets for arrivals from November 1 onwards, the ideal ticket being the multi park option, which can be purchased for a single day or longer.”

Tis the season to be scary: Universal Studios launch Krampus maze for Halloween UNIVERSAL STUDIOS Hollywood and Universal Orlando Resort will be bringing the terrifying dark Christmas legend of Krampus to life in an all-new Halloween Horror Nights maze, beginning September 16.

The dead of winter sets the stage for the terror that’s about to unfold on a dank and dreary Christmas Eve. In scenes lifted from the film, park guests will navigate the dysfunctional Engel family home as the evil ancient spirit of Krampus – the dark shadow of Saint Nicholas – and his band of Dark Elves emerge to terrorise those devoid of any holiday spirit.

For more than 25 years, guests from around the world have visited the Halloween Horror Nights in Hollywood and Orlando to become the victims inside their own horror film. The streets of each coast’s event are transformed into highly-themed scare zones where menacing scare-actors lunge from darkened corners and multiple movie-quality haunted houses are erected throughout, based on iconic slasher films, hit horror television shows and haunting original stories.

For more information visit HalloweenHorrorNights.com

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s n io t c a r t t a & k r a p e m the Blackpool Pleasure Beach adds Big Value Pass for park discounts BLACKPOOL PLEASURE Beach has launched two new ways for visitors to save money with The Big Value Pass enabling guests to enjoy all that the amusement park has to offer for a discounted rate and, for those with a healthy appetite, the Big Value Pass Extra available with an ‘all you can eat’ meal deal.

The Big Value Pass provides visitors with an unlimited ride wristband for their visit, a Hot Ice show ticket, admission to Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, two rounds of adventure golf, admission to Pasaje Del Terror and a free skating session at the Pleasure Beach Arena.

Passes are available every day of the 2016 season and cost £55 or £75 for a Big Value Pass Extra, which includes the meal deal. It offers a saving over the gate price of more than £22 for the Big Value Pass and more than £24 for the Big Value Pass Extra.

Currently celebrating 120 years of providing family fun to generations of visitors, the park is running a series of events to mark the milestone including firework displays, late night rollercoaster rides and live performances and music.

For more information visit blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/big-value-pass

Europa-Park opens ‘Ireland - Children’s World’ family themed area A NEW family themed area called ‘Ireland – Children's World’ has opened at Europa-Park.

Located next to the English themed area, three bridges lead inquisitive visitors into a land of green hills, goblins and castles where, throughout the 10,000sq.m of the Emerald Isle, visitors can find an array of attractions, gastronomic offerings and shows.

Hidden inside a red brick building, the new children's swing boat ‘Dancing Dingie’ lays in the dock for brave sailors to embark on a stormy ride, swinging backwards and

forwards and also in circles.

Meanwhile mini seamen can set sail in their little boats at the ‘Sheep Rock’ boat carousel and, for children three and above and at least 95cm tall, the new children's rollercoaster ‘Ba-a-a Express’ awaits to take them on their first taste of a real rollercoaster as it rolls along rugged rocks, over green hills, and past grazing sheep. At Old Mac Donald's Tractor Fun, junior farmers can chug slowly in life-sized tractors along fruit and vegetable gardens, whilst parent passengers take their seats in the back.

Packed with mazes, slides, and climbing areas and spread over three levels a 600sq.m hall makes up Limerick Castle. High in the air lays the fairy realm, where courageous visitors will join the Quipse to discover a little village of huts, connected by wooden beams and nets. Meanwhile, parents can relax next-door in The O'Mackay's Café and Pub with a cold Guinness. The new restaurant features a sun terrace and traditional pub on the first floor.

For further information visit europapark.de

Louvre Abu Dhabi close to completion

PUTTING A SPIN on family thrills, Cobra’s Curse opened this summer in Busch Gardens Tampa. The spin coaster is the only one of its kind in the world, featuring a vertical lift and taking riders on an adventure as they come face-to-face with an 80-foot snake icon, trek over the park’s Serengeti Plain and discover the mysteries of an Egyptian archeological excavation.

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DESIGNED TO transform Abu Dhabi into the cultural hub of the Middle East, the Louvre Abu Dhabi has reached two major milestones in its construction.

The first was starting to remove the temporary sea walls built to protect the site from the waters of the gulf. The removal of the walls allowed the sea to surround the building, realising architect Jean Nouvel’s vision of a worldclass cultural institution ‘floating’ on the Arabian Gulf.

The second was illuminating the 180-metre-wide dome that crowns the museum. 4,500 tube lights have been attached to the dome’s intricate steel structure, allowing it to be lit against the city’s night sky.

It will be the first branch of the Louvre to open outside France and its permanent collection will comprise more than 600 pieces of art, displayed across 23 state-of-the-art galleries. Drawn from civilisations from all around the world, the works will tell the story of shared human experience from ancient times to the present day. The permanent collection will be complemented by approximately 300 masterpieces on loan from key French institutions, including works by da Vinci, Monet, Manet and Matisse.

Currently the construction of the museum is in its final stages. The building will soon enter an important preparation phase, which will include testing, art installation and development of the visitor experience ahead of the official opening. An official date has yet to be announced but it is anticipated that the museum will be ready to welcome visitors in 2017.

For more information visit louvreabudhabi.ae

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More Treat than Trick for families at Drayton Manor Park this Halloween DRAYTON MANOR Park will end its 66th season with two weeks of spooky half-term family fun this October. During October 22 - 30, the site will be transformed into a spine-tingling mecca of Halloween as part of its ‘more Treat than Trick’ event.

Younger guests are encouraged to dress in their favourite Halloween costume as Europe’s only Thomas Land morphs into the ‘spooktacular’ island of Sodor and with the chance to trick or treat at the Fat Controller’s door.

Alternatively the newly renovated and enhanced ‘The Haunting’ takes visitors on a tour of their senses; seeing, smelling, feeling, hearing and even brushing up against slimy and revolting things with spine-chilling interactive activities. Spooking visitors of all ages since 1996, the refurbished attraction is based on the legend of the Drayton Manor Estate vicarage where the sudden passing of the vicar led to a series of strange circumstances and unexplainable events. A group made up of young scientists at the forefront of metaphysical research, have set up a series of experiments at the vicarage and are enlisting members of the public as volunteers to help with their investigations upon entering the attraction.

Groups who want to make a night of their half-term Halloween excursion can stay at the on-site four-star Drayton Manor Hotel, which has over 150 contemporary rooms including executive rooms, interconnecting family rooms, presidential suites, and 15 Thomas & Friends themed rooms.

For further information visit draytonmanor.co.uk or call 0844 472 1950.

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MARVEL SUPER Heroes and a crowd of guests recently celebrated the official reopening of The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure. The newly-enhanced attraction now features a sleek new ride vehicle, an onboard ride score exclusively produced by Patrick Stump – front man for rock band Fall Out Boy – a new storyline that places guests at the hands of an experiment led

by General “Thunderbolt” Ross along with a redesigned queue that appears as a high-tech, scientific facility centred around a Gamma Core. Visit UniversalOrlando.com

Thrills and chills for Gardaland Magic Halloween AS PER tradition, Gardaland Magic Halloween is about to wreak havoc, deliver fun and send a chill down the spine of every guest to Gardaland from October 8 and on every weekend of the month until the long Halloween weekend.

On October 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 and on the long weekend from October 29 until November 1, the park will be dressed for the occasion with pumpkins, giant spider webs and spooky graveyards in the streets and malefic spirits ready to spring out and scare unsuspecting guests. Prezzemolo’s magic show will greet guests entering the Park with ‘Welcome: it’s Halloween!’ and when darkness falls it will be time for a parade of witches, spectres and skeletons.

The Gardaland Theatre will host the ORRIBELLISSIMO (beautifully horrifying) birthday where vampires, monsters and zombies will celebrate the landlord of the

haunted house with phantasmagorical dance routines whilst at the Palaraptor circus tent weird characters and acrobatic skeletons can be found. Both shows are suitable for spectators of all ages.

As a new addition for 2016, the Gardaland Adventure Hotel has come up with a convenient offer for all those wishing to experience the Halloween events.

Overnight stays are available from September 22 to October 29 at a special rate that includes accommodation, entry to the park and aquarium at 127 Euros per person per night in a themed room with breakfast included.

Also available on demand, is the option to request a ‘Scary Welcome’ setup directly in-room with Halloween-themed welcome air-balloons, decorations and sweets.

Full details are available at gardalandadventurehotel.it

Maverick Helicopters introduces new Hawaii air tour MAVERICK HELICOPTERS is now offering a new helicopter tour on the island of Maui.

Called the ‘Hana Rainforest Experience’ the new tour showcases the destination’s waterfalls, streams, shorelines and natural surroundings such as Jurassic Rock, which featured in the original Jurassic Park movie, during a 75 minute helicopter and rainforest landing excursion.

With additional tours, custom and private charters available through the company, visitors can also choose to embark on a full island ‘Maui Dream’ excursion from $389 per person.

Visit maverickhelicopter.co.uk for more details.

Tallest, fastest, longest: Mako hypercoaster makes its debut at SeaWorld Orlando THE 200-foot-tall hypercoaster Mako has officially opened at SeaWorld Orlando with features that make it the tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster among Orlando’s popular theme parks.

The coaster anchors a two-acre realm — Shark Wreck Reef — that also includes the park’s existing Shark Encounter attraction, interactive learning exhibits and dining and shopping options.

Donnie Mills, president of the theme park, commented: “Mako and Shark Wreck Reef rewrite the definition of ‘immersive’ entertainment. Our guests now have a whole new underwater world to explore and a thrilling new ride to conquer that’s literally breathtaking.”

The fifth coaster in the theme park’s portfolio, Mako accelerates to 73mph and whips passengers along an imposing, nearly mile-long track. The design was inspired by its namesake – Mako sharks which are known for their speed and ability to quickly change course as they pursue prey. The attraction is one of the world’s few true hypercoasters, a group of roller coasters known for high speeds and steep drops and hills that create a feeling of weightlessness or ‘air time’. As the coaster cars crest each hill, riders — secured only at their laps — float out of their seats, nearly weightless. Brian Morrow, the park’s vice president of Theme Park Experience and Design, commented: “For almost three exhilarating minutes, you experience life as an apex predator. You surge through the water at top speeds, charge to the ocean depths and chase prey throughout a massive reef.”

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September 2 2016

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Yas Island to open Warner Bros. Park in 2018 MIRAL ASSET Management and Warner Bros. have announced that a Warner Bros. themed park is scheduled to open on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi for 2018.

The development will not only consist of an immersive theme park but also the world’s first Warner Bros. branded hotel. The park will bring together stories and characters from the studio’s portfolio of DC Comics super heroes, including Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, as well as cartoons such as Bugs Bunny, Scooby-Doo and Tom and Jerry. Guests of all ages will be able to step inside Gotham City and Metropolis, and experience the cartoon worlds of Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera.

Located alongside Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld, the new park aims to assist Yas Island take its annual visitor tally from 25 million recorded in 2015, to 30 million in 2018.

HOME TO more than 2,000 sea creatures, daily aquarist talks and the UK’s only transparent 360 degree Ocean Tunnel, The National Sea Life Centre Birmingham is offering savings of up to 30% for groups of ten or more. Guests can come face-to-fin with colourful clownfish in the brand new interactive attraction ‘Clownfish Kingdom’ and meet the centre’s new feathered additions which joined the current Gentoo penguin colony from Calgary earlier this year in ‘Penguin Ice Adventure’.

Visit SEALIFE.co.uk/Birmingham or call 0871 423 2110.

Play & Stay: Jet2holidays suggests Mallorca’s Sol Katmandu SOL KATMANDU Park and Resort in Mallorca is able to offer daily access to Katmandu Park, where kids and grown-ups alike can experience the high-flying adventures of the 4D Experience, battle the walking dead at the Zombies! XS Dark Ride or saddle-up for a galloping Wild West shoot-out adventure on Desperados.

The onsite Katlantis Park features a water fortress with multiple twisting slides and more than 150 interactive water elements to keep children entertained and additional child-friendly facilities include the Katlantis Soft Play, the largest of its kind in all of Spain, and kids’ club offering arts and crafts, team games and water-based sports.

Alan Cross, head of trade sales at Jet2holidays, said: “The resort has entertainment that appeals to children of all ages, and every element is designed with kids in mind, even down to the onsite restaurants offering child-friendly buffets and food suitable for young babies.

“There’s also plenty for the adults too, with pools, relaxing sun decks and a selection of evening entertainment including professional shows, quizzes, live music and cabaret. It truly is a resort with something for everyone.”

Currently the operator is offering a seven-night bed-and-breakfast stay at the four-star resort from £649 per person. The package is based on two adults and two children aged five, and includes unlimited entrance to the attractions of Katmandu Park until 22:00 each day, 22kg baggage allowance and transfers.

For further information call 0800 408 5587 or visit tradesite.jet2holidays.com

SuperBreak promotes half-term breaks to Efteling Theme Park Resort SUPERBREAK is promoting a half-term break to Efteling Theme Park Resort in Holland, with ferry travel from Hull included.

Ideal for clients who prefer the freedom of a self-drive break, three- and four-night trips are available during October half-term with prices from £629 for a family of four.

Located just outside Amsterdam, Efteling is Europe’s third largest theme park and boasts a fairy-tale atmosphere and a wide range of attractions. Visitors can glide through the world of fairies and trolls in the dark ride 'Droomvlucht' and huddle together during the park show 'Raveleijn' which features a five headed fire breathing dragon. Little ones can listen to the sounds of the Fairytale Forest and party together with Jokie in 'Carnaval Festival'. Meanwhile daredevils can ride on more extreme attractions such as the dual-tracked wooden coaster 'Joris en de Draak' 'and the newest rollercoaster, ‘Baron 1898’, with its 123ft. free fall into a mineshaft. To finish the day, families can enjoy Aquanura, the biggest water show in Europe.

Two onsite accommodation options are available: the Holiday Village Efteling Bosrijk and Efteling Hotel, both a short stroll from the park.

A three-night short break through the operator starts from £629 per family of four and includes return overnight ferry from Hull to the port of Rotterdam with four berth cabin, coach transfers to Efteling, two-day entry ticket to the park and one night at the Efteling Hotel on a bed-and-breakfast basis. Alternatively a four-night break starts from £769 per family of four including return overnight ferry from Hull to the port of Rotterdam with four berth cabin, coach transfers to Efteling, three-day entry ticket to the park and two night’s room only at the Efteling Village Bosrijk hotel.

For more information call 01904 436000 or visit superbreak.com/agents

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A NEW gastronomic journey across Ancient Egypt has opened in the shape of the Tutankhamon Restaurant at Gardaland Adventure Hotel.

Open to hotel guests and visitors, diners can choose from a delicious à la carte menu of traditional Egyptian and Mediterranean dishes, with an ample choice of gourmet pizzas and a selection of local and national wines also on offer. Visit gardalandadventurehotel.it

DoSomethingDifferent.com highlights Universal Studios Hollywood for trips to LA 2016 HAS seen two new year-round attractions open at Universal Studios Hollywood. DoSomethingDifferent.com has highlighted that the Los Angeles Park presents an ideal add-on-extra for any holiday or road-trip in California, providing a fun day out for customers and an increased commission earning opportunity for agents.

After more than five years in the making and to the delight of fans, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened in April. The real-world interpretation is faithful to the visual landscape of the fiction and films, including Hogwarts castle and

Hogsmeade which bustles to life with merchants hard at work, a train conductor welcoming new arrivals and a pub packed with hungry patrons.

Rides include the signature ‘Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey’ and the family outdoor coaster ‘Flight of the Hippogriff.’

Also new for 2016 is ‘The Walking Dead’. Based on AMC’s television series this permanent walk-through attraction opened in July following several years of collaboration during the park’s signature Halloween Horror Nights maze. The attraction combines authentic ‘walker’ make-up effects

and sophisticated animatronics, detailed set design and costuming, and highly recognisable props replicated from the series. Due to the terrifying realism of the environment this attraction is not recommended for guests under the age of 13.

DoSomethingDifferent.com is offering one day tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood from £75 per adult and £70 per child (aged three to nine), or front-of-line tickets from £152 per person.

Call 020-8090 3890 or visit DoSomethingDifferent.com for more details.

Loews Sapphire Falls opens at Universal Orlando UNIVERSAL ORLANDO recently welcomed its fifth on-site hotel this summer with the opening of Loews Sapphire Falls Resort.

The 1,000-room Caribbean-themed hideaway brings the number of on-site hotel rooms across Orlando resort to 5,200. Inspired by the scenic rivers and waterfalls of the Caribbean the property has been designed to immerse guests in a highly-themed environment using traditional island styling and modern touches. During their stay guests can experience amenities such as the largest on-site pool in the resort, complete with a children’s play area, two sand beaches and fire pit, along with Caribbean cuisine, early park admission along, complimentary resort-wide transportation and other benefits. Visit universalorlando.com/sapphirefalls for further details.

Further building on its portfolio of attractions, the park has also seen the arrival of ‘Skull Island: Reign of Kong’ at Universal's Islands of Adventure this year. The new multi-dimensional attraction brings the next generation of the King Kong legend to life on an unprecedented scale.

The adventure begins as guests are transported deep into a mysterious world, where their mission is to discover creatures of unknown origin with the 8th Wonder Expedition Company. After braving ancient temple ruins and encountering hostile natives, guests will board a 40-foot-long, 17-ton expedition vehicle to navigate the increasingly foreboding terrain. The specially designed expedition vehicle, which operates on a completely trackless ride system, takes guests deeper into the island, where they will find beasts of unimaginable size and ferocity and the earthpounding presence of Kong - in the flesh.

In addition, anticipation is building for the launch of the unique dining experience of CityWalk’s ‘The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen’ expected to open later this autumn with Universal’s Volcano Bay, an entirely new water theme park experience, around the corner and opening in 2017.

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s n io t c a r t t a & k r a p e m the Ferrari Land gets green light for grand opening at PortAventura World PORTAVENTURA WORLD Parks & Resort has announced that the official opening date for Ferrari Land will be on April 7, 2017. The resort currently welcomes around 300,000 visitors from the UK each year, a figure which is expected to increase with the launch of the new park.

The main attraction and star feature of the park will be the Vertical Accelerator. Standing taller than PortAventura’s own Shambhala, the Travel Bulletin is published by Alain Charles Publishing (Travel) Ltd University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place, London, SW1W 0EX Tel: 020-7834 6661 Printed by: Buxton Press Subscriptions are £125 p.a. £195 overseas ISSN: 0956-2419

ride will set a double record for being the highest and fastest roller coaster in Europe. Located next to it, lies a race track covering more than 500m, two bounce-back towers more than 55m high, F1 simulators for adults and children as well as the chance to experience a super speedy wheel change at the pit stop. With an investment of approximately 100 million Euros, the new theme park is the largest project in the resort’s history and it is predicted that once Ferrari Land has left the starting line it will attract five million annual

visitors.

Giovanni Cavalli, commercial general manager for the resort, commented: “The arrival of Ferrari Land next April will highlight PortAventura World’s position as a worldwide leading holiday destination, offering three theme parks in one resort. It will be a wholly unique destination on an international scale, combining the true essence of PortAventura with the distinctive traits of Ferrari Land.”

Visit portaventuraworld.com for more information.

puzzlesolutions

Crossword: Across: 1. LEGER, 4. CSA, 7. ARIZONA, 8. ANTIGUA, 10. LEG, 11. RIC, 13. THOMSON, 15. TURKISH, 17. LEK, 18. VILLA. Down: 1. LAURA TROTT, 2. GHENT, 3. RSA, 4. CHICAGO, 5. ATOLL, 6. TANGANYIKA, 9. GATWICK, 12. CAROL, 14. SEOUL, 16. HAV.

@TravelBulletin TravelBulletin

Highlighted Word: CORSICA Where Am I?: Saint Hilarion Castle, Kyrenia, Cyprus

We asked our staff the following question this week:

What is the most random/terrible film that you’ve watched all the way through?

Jeanette Ratcliffe Publisher jeanette.ratcliffe@travelbulletin.co.uk

Matthew Weinreb Sales Executive matthew.weinreb@travelbulletin.co.uk

City Slickers 2 - The Legend of Curly's Gold

The Room - 2003. Youtube it.

Lauretta Wright Editor lauretta.wright@travelbulletin.co.uk

Kathryn Frost Sales Executive kathryn.frost@travelbulletin.co.uk

La Femme Nikita (1990)

In Her Shoes

Adam Potter Editorial Assistant adam.potter@travelbulletin.co.uk

Gemma Reeve Events & Sales Administrator gemma.reeve@travelbulletin.co.uk

Alien vs Ninja

American Werewolf in London

Paul Scudamore Contributing Editor lauretta.wright@travelbulletin.co.uk

Nicky Valsamakis Design Team Leader nicky.valsamakis@travelbulletin.co.uk

Steptoe & Son

Smokin’ Aces

Simon Eddolls Sales Director simon.eddolls@travelbulletin.co.uk

Miriam Brtkova Designer miriam.brtkova@travelbulletin.co.uk

The Thing

Zoolander

Tim Podger Account Manager - Far East tim.podger@travelbulletin.co.uk

Nelly Mendes Production production@travelbulletin.co.uk

Leftovers 1, so confused I watched Leftovers 2..none the wiser!

Sharknado

Bill Coad Account Manager bill.coad@travelbulletin.co.uk

Matt Gill Senior Account Manager matt.gill@travelbulletin.co.uk Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

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September 2 2016

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OUR RIVER CRUISE COLLECTION At Riviera Travel, our experts have crafted a superb collection of European River Cruises each offering perfectly balanced combinations of the classic ‘must see’ sights and delightful ‘hidden gems’. We offer a choice of eleven stunningly beautiful and fascinating cruises visiting some wonderful sights such as Cologne, Trier, Koblenz, Heidelberg, Strasbourg, Basel, Lucerne, Vienna, Budapest, Amsterdam, Avignon, Arles, Bruges, Paris or Rouen.

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Book online, visit: rivieratravel.co.uk/agents Subscribe to our agents newsletter! Email: agencysales@rivieratravel.co.uk

ABTA No. V4744